Machine for reversely sheeting dough



Aug. 5, 1952 H. C. RHODES MACHINE FOR REVERSELY SHEE'TING DoUGH 5lsheets-snaai 2 Filed OGt. 13, 1949 N .if taf.. n.

INVENTOR. HERBERT C. RHQDES Attorney A118. 5, 1952 H. c. RHODESv 72,605,7234r MACHINE FOR REVERSELY SHEETING DouGH Fild Oct. 13, 1949 5She'etS-Sneet 3 INVENTOR.

B HERBERT C. RHODES AHorney Aug.' 5, 1952 H. c. RHODES MACHINE REVERSELYSHEETING DOUGH E sheets-sheet 4 Filed OGC. 13, 1949 INVENTOR. HERBERT C.RHODES AHOHIBY Aug. 5, 1952 H. c. RHODES MACHINE FOR REVERSELY SHETINGDOUGH 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed 0G11. 13, 1949 n INVENTOR. HERBERT C.RHODES Patented Aug. 5, 1952 MACHINE FOR REVERSELY SHEETING DOUGHHerbertl Cecil Rhodes, Portland, lOreg., assignor to Read StandardCorporation, acorpoiation of Delaware Application October 13, 1949,Serial No. 121,215

(Cl. i-12) 11 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to dough working apparatus and morespecifically to a machine for reversely sheeting a piece of dough.

This invention is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending applicationfiled August 16, 1948, Serial Number 44,492 now abandoned.

Heretofo-re dough working machines employed for sheeting a mass ofdough, preparatory 4to curling the dough -sheet for delivery to avbakingpan, have so compressed the dough 'as to form a dough sheet embodying adry end. Thus during the curling operation the drf,7 end of the doughsheet is the irst part of the sheet to be coiled, so that the resultantroll of dough upon being baked is found to produce a loaf of breadcontaining what is known in the trade as a dry core. This dry core notonly extends throughout the center of the loaf from end to end, but alsois found to be of a rather coarse texture.

In machines of the type commonly employed in present day bakeries a massof dough is delivered to a plurality of sets of compression rollers. Thefirst-set of rollers are usually spacedv further apart than thesucceeding sets, so that the mass of dough is compressed into sheet formby the first set of rollers, while the subsequent sets` of rollers tendto reduce the thickness of "said sheet Aas it is advanced through themachine. During this series of compression steps the same end of thedough sheet is initially engaged by each set of rollers, so that themoisture contained in the? dough sheet is continuously being forced'from the forward or leading end portion towards ing portion of thesheet is subsequently coiled about this forward end. As the result ofsuch an operation a roll of dough when deposited in a bakingV pan isformed with a dry inner edge which produces a dry core in the finishedloafof bread.

The present invention` is designed to overcome the aforementionedshortcomings of the present day commercial dough working vmachines..`The subjectmatter of the present invention is directed to a doughworking machine wherein a sheet of dough is'inverted end for end duringits course of travel through the compression or sheeting rollers so asto obtain a uniform distribution of moisture throughout the dough sheetprior to the coiling of said sheet. j

One of the objects of the present invention isto provide a dough workingmachine having a plurality of sets of rollers for compressing a mass ofdough into an elongated sheet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide adjusting means onsaid sets of rollers wherein the thickness of the elongated dough sheetmaybe varied for breaking down the large gas cells in the dough sheetand thereby secure an evenness of cellular structure and a uniformity offinel grain structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide setsof adjustablerollers adaptedto compress a mass of dough into elongated sheets whereinthe moisture content of each dough sheet is 'substantially concentratedin the rear portion of the dough sheet.

Another object is to provide a member co-acting with aset of saidcompression rollers for receiving and inverting end for end theelongated sheets of dough.

A further object is to provide a final set of rollers adapted to receivethe inverted sheets of dough for redistributing the moisture content ofthe dough sheet.

l A still further object of the present invention i's to provide a limitstop member associated with the inverting member to insure the deliveryof the inverted dough sheet to a final set of rollers foryredi'stributing the moisture content of the dough sheet.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing andthe manner in which all the various objects are realized will appear inthe Vfollowing description, which considered with Athe accompanyingdrawings, sets orth the preferred Iembodiment of the invenion.

Referring to the drawings, wherein the prefrred embodiment of theinvention is illustrate Figure 1 is a plan view of the machineconstitilting the subject matter of the present invenion; V V

Figure 2 is a perspective View of a section of the present machine withonev side of the machine being removed;

Figures 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the lines 3--3 ofFigure 1 and showingthe `sheeting or compressing rollers in spacedrelation and the adjusting mechanism for said rollposition.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of one side of the machine, showing thedrive mechanism for the various rollers;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 5, but taken fromthe opposite side of the machine and showing additional driving means ofthe machine;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a section of the base of themachine showing the motor and main pulley for driving the variousrollers;

Figure 8 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 7, but taken fromthe opposite side of the machine and showing adjustable means forvarying the speed of the main driving pulley;

Figure 9 is a sectional View showing the motor mounted on an adjustablebase for varying the speed of the main driving pulley; and

Figure 10 is a side elevational view showing diagrammatically the courseof the dough pieces passing through the machine and the operationsperformed thereon. Y

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a dough working machineembodying a base I0, Figures '7 and 8, having a platform IU upon whichis supported a motor II, of a conventional type, for driving the variouscompressing or sheeting rollers of the present machine. A pair of sideplates I2 and I3, Figures 5 and 6, are mounted on the base member I0 inspaced parallel relation. 'Ihe side plates I2 and I3 have secured totheir inner faces, adjacent the rear top portion thereof, a pair ofbrackets I5, Figure 2, for supporting a rotatable shaft I6. A conveyorbelt II engages a roller mounted on shaft I6 and extends over a secondroller and shaft, not shown.

The conveyor belt I'I is so positioned as to receive at one end thereofa plurality of uniformly spaced masses of dough from a conventionaldough dividing machine and to deliver said masses of dough to a pair ofcompressing or sheeting rollers. The sheeting rollers I8 and I9 aremounted on shafts 2I and 22 adjacent the delivery end of conveyor I'Iand intermediate the side plate members I2 and I3. A second pair ofcompressing or sheeting rollers 24 and 25 are mounted on shafts 26 and21 intermediate the side plate members I2 and I3. The rollers 24 and arepositioned below and slightly forward of the sheeting rollers I8 and I9sov as to define a downwardly sloping passageway for the sheets ofdough. j

The shafts 2I and 26, which carry the rollers I8 and 24, have their endportions projecting through suitable apertures formed in the side platesI2 and I3. The shafts 22 and 21, upon which the rollers I9 and 25 aremounted, each have their ends supported in respective frame members 28,Figure 2, which frame members are pivotally mounted on the inner facesof the side members l2 and I3 by means of pins 3U. The frame members 28are retained in spaced relation by rods 3| which are mounted in theforward portion of said frame members.

As shown, in Figures 3 and 4, the rod 3I has mounted thereon thehood;end 33 of an adjusting screw 34, with the other end of the screw 34disposed in threaded engagement with a sleeve 35. The sleeve 35 iscarried by a suitable housing 36 which is supported on a transverseshaft 38, which shaft is secured to the inner face of the side platemembers I2 and I3. A handwheel 39 is secured by means of a set screw 9on the shank 8 of the sleeve 35 lfor advancing or retracting the screw34. The movement of the screw 34 is imparted to the frame members 28 bythe rods 3| which movement causes the frame members to pivot about thepins 30 and thus move the shafts 22 and 21 and rollers I9 and 25 towardor away from the rollers I8 Iand 24. As shown in dotted lines in Figures3 and 4 the end portions of shafts 22 and 2'I project through elongatedopenings formed in the side plate members I2 and I3.

A drum 4I carried by a shaft 42 is positioned beneath and slightlyforward of the compressing or sheeting rollers 24 and 25 with a portionof the peripheral surface of said drum projecting into the downwardlysloping passageway as dened by the rollers I8, I9, A24 and 25. The endsof the shaft 42 extend through suitable apertures formed in the sideplate members I2 and I3. The rotatable drum 4I has formed on itsperipheral face a plurality of spaced annular serrated bands 44, Figure1, to insure proper engagement of the elongated dough sheets with thedrum and also to prevent any slippage occurring between said sheets andthe surface of the drum. As shown in Figure 2, guide plates 45 aredisposed beneath the rollers I8 and I9, and 24 and 25, respectively, tofacilitate the delivery of the dough sheets from one set of sheetingrollers tothe second set of sheeting rollers and also to the rotatingdrum 4I. A second drum 5I] mounted on a shaft 5I, between the side platemembers I2 and I3, is positioned slightly below and forward of the drum4I; The drum 5B is of a smaller diameter thanthe drum 4I and is adaptedto rotate at a constant rate of speed, while the drum 4| may be adjustedtc rotate at different peripheral speeds relative to the peripheralspeed of drum 5U. The drums 4I and 50 have the same direction ofrotation. V y

A limit stop plate 52 positioned beneath and intermediate the drums 4Iand 5D is mounted upon a rod 53 which is secured to the inner faces ofthe side plate members I2 and I3. The limit stop plate 52 is adapted toreceive the forward or leading edge of an elongated dough sheet as itleaves vthe drum 4I so as to prevent said sheet from falling between thetwo drums 4I and 55. The rotative speed of drum 4I is usually greaterthan the speed of the sheeting rollers 24 and 25 and drum 5U, thus asthe elongated dough sheet is delivered to and carried by drum 4I theforward or leading edge of the sheet, upon leaving the surface of thedrum, is adapted to engage the limit stop plate 52. At approximately themoment the leading edge of the dough sheet strikes the limit stop plate52 the trailing or rear end portion of the dough sheet is flipped,thrown `or inverted from the surface of drum 4I to the surface of drum50. The rotation of drum 50 causes the dough sheet to be moved forwardto a final set of sheeting rollers so that the end of .the dough sheetengaging plate 52 is drawn therefrom. The peripheral speed of drum 4I not only determines the rate at which the dough sheets will be iiipped todrum 50 but also the degree of engagement of the dough sheet with theplate 52. That is if drum 4I is being rotated at a Slow rate of speedthe leading edge of the dough sheet will have avery pronouncedengagement with the plate v52 before the trailing end of the sheet isinverted onto drum 50, while if drum 4I is rotating at a high rate ofspeed the engagement between the end of the dough sheet and the plate 52will be very slight and in-some instances there will be no engagement atall. f

The peripheral surface of thel drum 50 is pro- `-conveyedrto the bakingpans.

vided lwithya plurality yof spaced angular-iserrated bandsl54whc'h vareadapted to insurethe eng'ager'nent ef-l the elongatedzdough sheet withthe suiface fof the drum .and "depending :on the consistency v`of -`thef doug-h v*to vpreclude slippingor sticking ofthe dough sheet on thedrums surface. JA plurality of fingers 56 carried by a rod 51 arearranged to engage the .peripheral surface cfs-the drum. between theannular :serrated bands '154. The rod 51ii's secured to the 'innerfacesfo'f the .side'frame-members 4I2 andI3.-' LThe fingers 56 aredesigned to remove the elongated doughshe'et from the drum50 and also'define a guideimean's forV delivering the `dough sheet 'from the ."drum50to afflnal set of com-pressing .or sheeting rollers.. `The final setof .compressing vor-'sh'eeting rollers 60 `'and A`6I rare .mounted .onshafts'BZ @and '.691 and 'are .positioned intermediate-theisideframe'members I2 and I3-adjacent the rotating drum `50. Thevsheeting roll is 4mountedvon the 'shaft 62 withthe end portions ofthe:shaftprojectingxthrough' the side frame members 'inrthe samemanneras shafts y2| .and 26.;` The sheeting rolll and shaft 03 are sup-`portedqin the-frame members in the same manner asfrolls I9 and 25 are'supported in frame members f28. Furthermore ysheeting'roll 6I isprovided with adjusting means 61of the same .type

asremployed in conjunction with rolls I9 and`25. The sheeting rolls I8,I9, 24, 25, 160 and'il may bev formed of any material-suitablefor'compressing a `mass of dough. It hasibee'n found that rollers formedof a plastic material, such as Teflon, provide not only an extremelyhard surface whichl is suitable for compressing or sheeting a -mass vofdough but also a surface to which 'the dough will not adhere.

A roller 10, Figure 2, mounted 'on a shaft 1I forwardly of thecompressing rollers 60 and 6| has `vanendlessV conveyor belt 12entrained thereover. Aguide plate 13 is interposed between the`compressing rollers 60 and'6l and the top surface vof the -conveyorbelt 12 forv delivering the elongated sheets of dough from saidcompression yrollers to the conveyor. f t

..Acurling apron -or belt 15 -is supported on dough. Thus upon thedelivery of an elongated ysheet of dough to the conveyor A12 the sheetwill be engaged by the lower run of the curling belt l15`and the doughsheet will be curled into a roll with; the leading end V.o f the doughsheet being .the inner edgeor core of the roll. The conveyor A"12 moves,the roll of dough'iunder the vcurling apron1-,5'and Vdelivers the rolleddough to a pressure board, not shown, from where it will be As shown inFigurev l0, a flour sifter 60 is mounted on the side frame members I2and I3 .above and rearward lof the compressing rollers :susana fel. A.downwarmy .sloping 'chute `al is secured'ftothe bottom of the sifter.for delivering ourzto the rollers 60'and 6I... The .guide chute 20|isformed .withiadownwardly Vtapered rear surface"82.y Therearface V82ofthe chute 8| 'serves ias. an'rupperiguide meansI -for the elon-Jgated'doughfsheet fasit is being delivered from 'drumfst ato the:sheetingrollers..suy andi-6 l'. v .That

v trailing 'edge `=of the sheet will strike 'the face `f|2 of.thechuteah ns .a resuitofhaving L'the `fajc'sesaz ofthe 'chutellytapered downwardlyiany Spi'ec'es of'dough sstriking kthis vsurface"will be' directedl mounted on aiplate 86 which-is sldablein-guides 81,Figure 9,'that are affixed tothe platform I0'. A shaft 88 has a 'handle89 `on one end thereof and -i'sthreadedat its other endfin avbushing' 'Iwhich is securedto Atheplate '86, whereby upon .turning Ythehan'dle89'lthe motor II and 'plate `86 move in the .guides 81. 'Ihemotor II,Figure 2'1., isprovided Awith 'a variable drivegpulley 93,. fof "a typelcommonly known asa ,Lewellyn Fvariable speed drive Ipulley. A .maindriving pulley i90, mounted lon Yone end .of fa shaft 194. is :connected`tothe variable drivepulley 93 by ,asbeltr92,thus. .uponzthe rotation of'the handle 89 ofi-the 'shaft l'l'the motor IIfan'd plate `86 .faremovedin the guides 81for varying thefspeed of the pulley 90.

The shaft 94 which'is supported on suitable -stanchions 9| on theplatform -I0' hasra driving sprocket 95 mounted on the free end thereof.1A sprocket chain 96 engages the sprocket '95 :for Ydriving a'secondsprocket 91 which 'is Amounted on the end of 'shaft 26 that extendsthroughthe side frame memberv` I2. The opposite end "of shaft 26, whichextends throughthe 'side1member |3,1has a sprocket wheel'99 mountedthereon over which is trained a sprocket chain |00 that in turn engagesa sprocket r|02 `mounted onf'the -end'of shaft 2| which extendsthrough-theside frame member I3. Asecond spr'ocket'wheel |03 is alsomounted on the end of shaft V2-6 intermediate the side framemember I3and sprocket 99. Asprocket chain |05 istrained overspro'cket |03 rand isadapted to engage. a sprocket wheel |06 mounted on the end offshaft-22`as wellasa sprocket wheel |01 mounted on the end of shaft 21. Thesprocket chain |05 is-also entrained'over lan idlersprocketwheel |08mounted yon fa stub shaft |09 which is supported Yon the side framemember |3, as shownin Figure 5. Thus, Jwith thev driving mechanismV asshown the variable drive pulley 93 mounted on the'motor II -will rotatepulley by means of belt 92. Thepulley 90 will in turn drive sprocket-wheel 91 through s haft 94, sprocket wheel and chain 96. The sprocketwheel `91 mounted onr shaft 26 will rotatablyldrive,sheeting roller 24while shaft -2-6 willdrive sheetingrrollers I8, I9 and-25 throughsprocket wheels |02, |03, |06 and I01and chains |00 andI05. Thesheeting-rollers I8, I9, 24and 25` are rotatably drivenv asa unit at avconstant rate-,oi speed and to increase vor decrease .this rate-ofspeed it is necessaryto vary the position -ofth'eamotor II. Theadjustment of the motor II and plate 85 by shaft 08 causes the lbelt 92to shift on the variable speed pulley-93, jthereby leither increasing ordecreasingthe rotative speed Vof shaft A,94 `and the drivingsprocket'99.

Thegshaft'j26, Figure l, has mounted on theend 'thereofputwardly of thesprockete91,:a.second sprooketwheel IIO whlch'is engaged byasprocketThe' chain is yentrained over sprocket Wheels I|4 Yand 5I I5 lwhich aremounted onlthe-lportions ioflshafts :S2-and l63,'respectively,

that extend through Vthe 'side frame member |2. In vaddition thesprocket` chain III engages an dlerzgear I |,6 mounted on-a stub shaftI1 which is supported on the side frame member I2. A second sprocketwheel I 20 is also mounted onthe shaft 62 intermediate the frame member|2'and sprocket I I4 and passing around the wheel .|20 is asprocketchain I2|which engages va sprocket wheel. |22 secured tothe outer end ofshaft 'II for driving the roller 10 and conveyor 12. ,Thus a constantspeed of rotation is imparted to the compressing rollers |50 and 6| andconveyor 12 byithe sprocketwheels I|4 and |I5 and |22 and the sprocketchains III and I2| in as much as the .sprocket chain v|1|| is driven bythe main sprocket wheel 95 and chain 96.

The portion ofthe shaft 62 which projects beyond the side frame memberI3 has a sprocket |25,.Figures 1 and 5,A ailixed thereto over which ispassed a sprocketlchain |26. The sprocket chain |26 engages a sprocketwheel I21 mounted on the outer end of shaft 5| Which shaft carries therotating drum 50. There is also secured on shaft 5I outwardly ofsprocket wheelv |21 a lsecond sprocket Wheel, |29. which is engaged by asprocket chain |30. VThe. chain |30 passes over a sprocket wheel |3Imounted on the end of the shaft which supports .the roller 13 of thecurling apron 15. Thus, the rotating drum 50 and curling apron 15 aredriven at the same constant rate of speed as the compressing rollers andthe conveyor 12.

The rotatable shaft 5I has secured to the outer end thereof a pulley |33over which passes a belt |34. The belt |34 is adapted to engage avariable speed pulley |36.mounted on the end portion of the shaft 42vthat extends through the side frame member I3. An idler pulley |31,Figure 5, carried by arm |38 pivotally mounted onthe side frame memberI3 is adapted to engage the belt |34. An adjusting mechanism |40 ismounted on the bracket |38 and is provided with a hand wheel I4| forvarying the position of the idler pulley. |31 and thereby increasing ordecreasing'the speed of the pulley |36 and the shaft 42 and rotatabledrum 4|.

The pulley |33 which is mounted on the end of shaft 5I is driven at thesame constant rate of speed as the sheeting rolls and curling apron 15,however, the speed of the rotating` drum 4| is capable of being changedthrough the variable speed pulley |36 and the adjusting mechanism |40associated with the idler pulley |31. The speed ofthe rotating drum 4|which effects the flipping or inverting of the elongated dough lsheetsmust besuch as to insure that the dough sheets will be inverted as thetrailing edge of each elongated sheet leaves the compressing rollers 24and 25 and engages the peripheral surfaceof the rotating -drum 4|. Thatis if the machine, through adjustment of the motor with respect to thepulley 90, has been set up to operate at a constant speed'to process apredetermined number ofpieces of dough perminute then the'rotating orreversing drum' 4| through' its adjusting mechanism, is set to operateat such-'a rate of speedvas to insure that its surfacespeed is suffi,-

cient to effect the iiippingor inverting'of the elongated dough sheetsas they are received from -the compressing rolls 24 and 25. .'Inthevevent .that it is desiredto increase the number of `dough pieces perminute of time thatfare to be passed through the' machine then thespeedof -themachine should be increased byadjusting the nwtor` l|through the handle Y89 and consequently vcompressed to the desiredthickness.

changing the drive ofpulley 93.v Increasing the speed Aof the machine`resultsin a higher speed of the drum 4I,so that it may be necessary todecrease the v speed f of the 4reversing ldrum 4I through the hand wheeladjustment I 4I; The exact difference in speed between the reversingdrum 4| and the several sets of compressing or sheeting rollers must bedetermined by the operator of the machine and is in a large measuredependent upon the number of dough pieces per minute ,which areintendedto be passed through the machine. Y 1

In the operation of the machine, off'th'e,V present invention, thecompressing orsheeting rollers I8, I9, 24, 25, 60 and 6| as well asthezrotating drum 50 and conveyor 12 and curling belt 15 are driven at aconstant rate of speed by the motor through the pulley and main sprocketwheel 95. With the spacing ofthe sheeting rollershaving been preset bymeans of the adjusting mechanism .36 and 61 a mass of dough, Figure .10,is delivered .by the conveyor I1 to the rstset of sheeting rollers I8and I9. As the mass of dough is delivered from the conveyor |1. therollers I8 and I8 compress thedough linto an elongated sheet which uponbeing ejected from said rollers passes over the upper guide plate y46 to-the rollers 24 and 25 Where it is further compressed. As the elongateddough sheet emergesfrom the rollers 24 and 25 it is .directed ontothesurface of drum 4| by the lower guide plate 46. It has been foundthat the first setl of sheeting rollers should be spaced further apartthan the second set of rollers, while the spacing betweenA the rollersof the nal set should be less than the spacing between the intermediateset of rollers. As a result of progressively decreasing the spacingbetween the various sets of rollers there is imparted to the elongateddough sheet, as it passes through the machine, an increasing compressingor sheeting yaction which tends to break down the large gas cells formedin the dough and thereby produce a dough sheet having a relatively'evencellular structure.

Upon a dough mass being'delivered to the rollers I8 and I9 the portionof the dough first engaged by the rollers is compressed into-sheet form.The moisture contained in this por'tionof the dough is forced towardsthe rear of the dough mass'and this action continues until the'mass ofuncompressed doughhas been gradually Thus the lastportion of -the doughmass to pass -zbetween -the rollerscontains` a greater amount ofmoisture than v-does the portion of the dough first engaged YbyV therollers. With the spacing between `rollers '24 and 25= being less thanthe spacingbetween rollers f I8 and I9 .the elongated dough'sheet isgivenanadditional compressing action la'sit passes betweenthe second setof sheeting rollers.. The portion of the dough sheet rstengaged bytherollers 24 and -set of sheeting rollers :the leadingendportion of thesheet-does.notcontainthe amount or degree of moisturethatis found in therear or trailing portion. Thereason for Athis being that as the dough isfedbetween they compressing rollageoavzs ersthe spacing between therollers is suchvthat As shown-in Figure 4'lOthe leading end portion 'ofthe doughV Asheet,"fw'hi'cli-vis ,theportionl from which y the moistureAhas beenv substantiallyjremovedyigsthe rst'tof engage the rotatingorinvertingd-rum 4l. The forward or leading edgeof the doughsheet is'carried around by the drum 47| vto approximately the point where Yahorizontal plane passing through the shaft 42v would intersect theperiphery of drum llA and atiapproximately this point the leading edgeof thel dough sheet leaves'the surface of drum lilv and travels insubstantially a plane perpendicular tothe limit 'Stop member ,52, ,Errorto the time atiw'hicnthe leadingfedge of the dough sheet engagesfthelimit stop plate `52"the rear or trailingfend por-` tion of the dough,sheet 'passes througlji'.thecom-` pressing ,rollersE/andl and4 engagesthe peripherall surfaceofftherotating drum 4L vDile to the fact thatdrum 4l y.is rotating at afgrea'ter rate oispeed `than the remainingportion of. the machine the trailing end TofV the dough. sheet. is t ownlor nvertedifrom the drum 4l to the rotating drumf. Atf the timeofthrowing orinvert'ingthe. trailing -end kportion of the dough sheet.from, the drum lil to the surfaceof drum 50 .theleading end Yportion ofthevdoughsheetengages. or just about-engages thel limit stop plate 52..,After inverting orfthrowing the dough sheet onto the drum 5B. itisdelivered by the drum. to

the final set! ofr'compressing rollers 60, and 6l.

f rThe, portion of the elongated dough sheet which is first vengaged byVthesheetingrolls` 60 andf'SlA is the portion o the sheet whichv was thelast'to engage the drum 4I. The new leading end p'or. tion of the doughsheet is the portion whereiny themeisture content of the sheet issubstantially 'concentrated due to the-prior sheeting actions. Thusasthe doug-hY sheetpasses betweenrthev sheeting rollers 68': and 6laportionoi the mois-i ture contained in the 4leadingend portion vis'forced to the trailing end portion which vaction produces areiativelyuniformredistribution' of the moisturecontentof the sheet. Thus, byredistributing the moisture contained in the dough sheet the dry endbofthe sheet is entirelyeliminated. Ihe dough sheet upon being ejectedfrom the sheeting; roll'sftlif andSl passes over theguide plate 'i3' tothe: top surfaceof the conveyor'lZ where it is carried under the curlingbelt 'l5 and subsequently coiled or curled into a roll for delivery toabaking pan.

In the flipping or inverting of the dough sheet froml the drum l to thedrum 50 the peripheral speed of drum il must be greater than theperipheral speed of the ycompressing rollers and also drum 5i). The stopplate 52 positioned be tween the drums lll and 5l] determines the dis.-tance that the leading edge of the dough strip will be able vto travelafter it leaves drum 4| before the trailing end portion ofthe sheet isinverted or thrown onto the drum 50. The mo- Y mentary engagement of theleading end portion of the dough rsheet with the stop plate 52 tends tosquare this end of thev dough sheet. Thus, as the sheet of dough passesthrough the final set of sheeting rollers the trailing edge of the doughsheet, which was formerly the leading edge, is disposed in substantiallysquared relation with the side portions of the dough sheet andconsequently when the dough sheet is rolled or curled ,10 l v by the'belt 'i5jthe outer or iinal edge of the rolled dough is disposed inksubstantially a straight line.

I claim: l f j 1. A dough sheeting machine comprising a plu- 'rality ofrotating drums4 and sets of sheeting rollers arranged with their axes inparallel relation, one set of. said rollers adapted to engage andVcompress a mass of do-ugh to form an elongated viding forY flipping thetrailing portion of -the elongated sheet from they peripheral surface01"' thelirst mentioned drum to that of the second mentioned drum yandanother set o-fsaid rollersv arranged forward ofvsaidsecondmentioneddrum to receivesaid elongated sheet from said second mentioned drum.

2.-.y A dough sheeting machine comprising a plurality of rotating drumsand sets of sheeting rollers dening .a downwardly and forwardly slopingpassageway, said'drumsk and sets of rollers having their axes arrangedin. parallel relation, an initial -set of said rollers engageable withand compressing a mass of dough to form an elongated sheet, Ya rotatabledrum positioned beneath said initial set of rollers'with its upperperipheral surface disposed below and across'saidV passageway to receive`the elongated sheet, a second rotatable drum having its axisarrangedfor-- ward of and at a level below the axis of the first mentioned drumwith its upper peripheral surface disposed below and across saidpassageway,

said ,drums arranged to rotate in the same direction with theirjuxtaposed' peripheral portions moving counter to one another, saidarrangement providing for flipping of the trailing portionof'theelongated sheet from the upper peripheral surface of the rstmentioned'drurn'to the upper peripheral surface of the second mentioneddrum, a nal set of rollers positioned forwardly of'said second'mentioned drum for receiving Vsaid elongated sheet from saidsecondmentioned drum, said final set ofrollers having their I:adjacer'itperipheral dough Y engaging surfaces disposed at a level below the upperperipheral surface of said second mentioned drum.

3. A dough sheeting machine comprising a plurality of rotating membersand sets of sheeting rollers defining a continuous path, said membersand sets of rollers having their axes arranged in'` parallel relation,saidsets of rollers arranged to rotate at a constant relative pe'-ripheral speed, one set of said rollers engageable with and compressinga mass of dough to form an elongatedv sheet, avrotatable memberpositioned beneath said one set of rollers to receive'the elongatedsheet, a second rotatable member havingits upper peripheral surface at alevel below the upper peripheral surface of said iirst mentioned member,said members arranged to rotate in the same direction with theirjuxtaposed peripheral portions moving counter to one another, saidarrangement providing for flipping the trailing portion of the elongatedsheet from the peripheral surface of the first mentioned member to thatof the second mentioned member, another set of said rollers arranged toreceive said elongated sheet from the second mentioned rotating memberwith the previously trailing end being the portion first engaged by saidrollers,

one of said rotating members having a constant relative peripheral speedwith respectto the peripheral speed of said sets of rollers.

4; A dough sheetingmachine as described in claim 1 including a powerunit and driving means adapted to rotate said sets of rollers and one ofsaid drums at a constant relative peripheral speed.

5. A 'dough sheeting machine comprising a plurality of rotating drumsland sets of sheeting rollers arranged with their axes in parallelArelation, one set of said rollers adapted to engage and compress a massof dough to form an elongated sheet, a rotatable drum positioned beneathsaid one set of rollers to receive the elongated sheet, a secondrotatable drum having its upper peripheral surface at a level below theupper peripheral surface of said first mentioned drum to receive theelongated sheet from the iirst mentioned drum, said drums arranged torotate in the same direction with their juxtaposed peripheral portionsmoving counter to one another, another set of said rollers arrangedforward of said second mentioned drum to receive said elongated sheetfrom said secondA mentioned drum, a power unit, driving mechanismconnecting said power unit with said sets of rollers and said drums forrotating said rollers and drums' at a constant relative peripheral speedand means associated with the rst mentioned drum for varying theperipheral speed of the first mentioned drum with respect to theperipheral speed of the second mentioned drum for flipping the trailingportion of the elongated sheet from the peripheral surface of the firstmentioned drum to that of the second mentioned drum.

6. A dough sheeting machine as described in claim '1 including a powerunit, a pulley rotatably driven by said unit, driving mechanismconnecting said pulley with said sets of rollers and said drums forrotating said rollers and drums at a constant relative peripheral speed,an adjusting means associated with said power unit for varying the speedof saidpulley and said sets of rollers and said drums. i

7. A dough sheeting machine as described in claim 1 and including saidfirst mentioned drum being larger than said'second mentioned drum andsaid first mentioneddrum having a greater peripheral speed than thesecond mentioned drum. y

8. A dough sheeting machine as described in claim 2 including meansinterposedbetween said drums and engageable with the portion' of saiddough sheet first to engage the first mentioned drum to limit themovementof said dough sheet.

9. A dough sheeting machine as described in claim 1 including aplurality of spaced annular serrated bands formed on the peripheralsurface of said first mentioned drum, said bands engaging the elongateddough sheet to retain said sheet on said first mentioned drum in properalignment with the second mentioned drum and a plate interposed betweensaid drums for limiting the travel of the elongated sheet between saiddrums.A c g, s

10. A` dough sheeting machine comprising a plurality of rotating drumsand sets of sheeting rollers arranged'withtheir axesA in parallelrelation, an initial set of said' rollers adapted to .engage andcompress a mass of dough to form an elongated sheet having a leading anda, trailing end portion, a rotatable drum positioned beneath andslightly forward of said initial set of rollers, a `plurality of spacedannular serrated bands'formed on the peripheral surface of said drum forreceiving the elongated dough sheet from said initial set of rollerswith the trailing end portion of the sheet being the last to engage saidbands, a second rotatable drum having a plurality of spaced annularserrated `bands formed `on the peripheral surface thereof, said secondmentioned drum having its upper peripheral surface at a level below theupper peripheral surface of said rst mentioned drum, said drums'arrangedto rotate in the same direction with their juxtaposed peripheralportions moving counter to one another, said first mentioned drumarranged to rotate at a higher rate of Aspeedthan the second mentioneddrum for throwingy the elongated dough sheet from said iirstmentioneddrum onto` said second mentioned drum with the trailing endportion of said sheet being the rst to engage the second mentioned drum,a limit stop plate interposed between said drums for engaging theleading end of v"said elongated dough sheet to square up said end of thedough sheet contemporaneous with the throwing of the trailing endportion of said sheet fromV said first mentioned drum onto said secondmentioned drum, a'nal set of said rollers positioned slightlyforward ofsaid second mentioned drum to receive said elongated sheet from saidsecond mentioned drum and compress said sheet in a direction opposed tothe direction of compression by the initial set of rollers and adjustingmeans associated with one roller of each of said sets Yof rollers forvarying the spacing between the rollers'of each set.

11. A dough sheeting machine as described in claim 10 including aplurality of spaced fingers interposed between said final set of rollersand the second mentioned drum with the ends of said fingers4 engagingthe surface of said drum intermediate said serrated bands, said fingerspreventing the dough from adhering to said drum and constituting aguideway'for delivering the dough sheet from said second mentioned drumto the final set of rollers.

HERBERT CECIL RHODES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,373,012 Burdett et al. Apr. 3,1945 2,431,074 Palmer Nov. 18,1947 2,479,864 Rhodes Aug. 23, 1949

